This week’s HBCU homecoming recap features fourth-quarter comebacks by Miles and Fayetteville State, which defeated Tuskegee and Winston-Salem State on Saturday.
Miles won 35-27 at Tuskegee, while Fayetteville State overcame a 10-point deficit entering the fourth quarter to defeat Winston-Salem State 23-17. The results gave visiting teams the final word at two of the weekend’s prominent football homecomings.
The Nov. 7 games marked a late chapter in football homecoming season. The broader HBCU homecoming calendar, however, continues into the coming weeks, including celebrations built around basketball and alumni activities.
Miles rallies before 20,363 at Tuskegee
Tuskegee delivered several of the afternoon’s biggest plays, but Miles supplied the finish.
The Golden Bears scored 14 unanswered fourth-quarter points to secure a 35-27 victory at Abbott Memorial Stadium. Tuskegee’s official box score recorded attendance at 20,363. Both teams finished the game 5-5 overall and 5-3 in Southern Intercollegiate Athletic Conference play.
Pryce Lewis gave Tuskegee an immediate response to Miles’ opening touchdown, returning the ensuing kickoff 98 yards for a score. Ja’Khael Rowser added touchdown runs of 17 yards and 1 yard as the Golden Tigers moved ahead in the second half.
Lorcan Ryans’ 31-yard field goal extended Tuskegee’s advantage to 27-21. Miles subsequently scored touchdowns on consecutive possessions, turning the six-point deficit into an eight-point victory. A lost Tuskegee fumble helped create a scoring opportunity during the decisive stretch.
Tuskegee’s announced homecoming theme, “Homecoming 102: A Renaissance Family Affair,” linked the weekend with alumni reunions and institutional development. The university scheduled a Kellogg Hotel and Conference Center ribbon-cutting, a presidential address, a parade and Sunday convocation.
Those university listings document the planned program. They do not establish attendance at individual events or independently confirm that every scheduled activity occurred.
Fayetteville State finishes comeback at WSSU
Winston-Salem State led 14-0 in the second quarter and carried a 17-7 advantage into the fourth. Fayetteville State answered with 16 unanswered points.
A 36-yard field goal by John Hernandez-Vargas began the fourth-quarter comeback. Jamir Dismukes then connected with Lorenzo Southern on a 10-yard touchdown pass, bringing the Broncos within 17-16 after an unsuccessful conversion.
Braylon Vinson supplied the winning score on an 11-yard touchdown run with 1:53 remaining.
The Rams had built their early lead through Jamison Funderburk’s 7-yard touchdown run and Bryce Johnson’s 86-yard return of a blocked field goal.
Fayetteville State finished 7-3 overall and 6-2 in Central Intercollegiate Athletic Association play. Winston-Salem State closed its season 2-8 and 2-6. The Broncos recorded nine sacks, while the Rams’ defense forced three turnovers. WSSU’s official box score listed 13,867 spectators at Bowman Gray Stadium.
Shootings disrupt WSSU’s homecoming weekend
Winston-Salem State canceled its remaining Sunday homecoming activities after two separate campus shootings Saturday left one person dead and three injured, Chancellor Bonita Brown said in a Nov. 8 statement.
The cancellations included the Fourth Quarter event and the university’s participation in WSSU Day at Emmanuel Baptist Church. Brown said police had confirmed there was no active threat and that additional officers remained on campus while investigations continued.
The university also announced counseling support for students, faculty and staff affected by the violence.
HBCU homecoming recap: Celebrations beyond football
Morris College, Talladega College and the University of Maryland Eastern Shore placed homecoming programs on their calendars for the weekend.
Morris scheduled basketball against Barber-Scotia College, a parade and scholarship-related activities during its Nov. 1-8 celebration. Talladega’s published program included basketball, an alumni association meeting, a marching band showcase and a farewell brunch. UMES designated Nov. 1-8 as “Hawkcoming.”
Final basketball scores and sufficient post-event reporting were not established for those celebrations. Their scheduled programs nevertheless demonstrate why the HBCU homecoming calendar extends beyond football: Alumni engagement, student recognition and campus traditions remain central at institutions whose athletic celebrations take other forms.
Rivalry recap: Virginia Union secures regular-season title
Virginia Union defeated Virginia State 36-14 to finish 8-0 in CIAA play and claim the conference’s regular-season championship.
RJ Rosales threw for 211 yards and three touchdowns and added a rushing touchdown. Ramon Brown rushed for 111 yards, while Montrell Wright caught eight passes for 118 yards.
The Panthers built a 27-0 lead and limited Virginia State to 170 total yards. Virginia Union finished the regular season 9-1 overall.
The university announced a Nov. 14 CIAA championship matchup against Johnson C. Smith in Durham, North Carolina, giving the Panthers another opportunity after their rivalry victory.
To read more Homecoming recaps, visit https://www.thehbcutimes.com/category/hbcu-sports/
